Allen Davidson. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, is the youngest child of Joseph
and Martha Prescott Davidson, born in Greene county, Illinois, August 6, 1837. When but eighteen months old, his
mother died, and he was taken by his father to Indiana, where they resided two or three years. They then moved
to Fremont county, Iowa, and settled in the town of Austin, where he received his education and resided till 1853.
In February, 1853, he came to California, arriving in August of that year. He first began working on a ranch in
Sacramento county, where he continued for eight months. He then went to Putah creek, on the line between Yolo and
Solano counties, where he corked on a farm for six months. We next find him in Colusa county, where he embarked
in the stock business, which he followed for one year. In 1857, he went to Petaluma, Sonoma county, where he engaged
in the stock business, which he continued for a short time, when he moved to Cloverdale, and followed the same
business till 1862. He then went to the Salmon river during the excitement there, and engaged in mining through
Oregon and Idaho till 1865. He then returned to Sonoma county and engaged in farming near Geyserville, where he
remained till 1871. In the above named year, he came to Mendocino county and settled on his present ranch at Blue
Rock, twenty miles north of Cahto, consisting of over two thousand acres, and stocked with two thousand head of
sheep. Mr. Davidson married Mary P. Archambau, October 19, 1865, she was born December 25, 1849, and by this union
they have Martha E., born October 21, 1866; Sarah C., born October 12, 1869; William A., born May 6, 1871; and
Grace M., born May 2, 1878. Was engaged in carrying the United States Mail for eight years, between Cahto and Hydesville.